Several downtown Wichita roads will close for March Madness. How to check your route
The streets of Wichita will soon be bustling with activity from basketball fans for the first and second rounds of the men’s NCAA tournament.
Wichita is one out of 14 cities hosting games, the first time since 2018 the city has welcomed the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. But it’s only been three years since Wichita last got a taste of March Madness, as the city welcomed the women’s basketball tournament in 2022.
In addition to games Thursday, March 20 and Saturday, March 22, multiple fan events are slated to be held in Wichita, as well.
People planning to be downtown during the games may need to alter their routes due to road closures to accommodate the events. Here’s what to know while driving around downtown Wichita during March Madness.
What Wichita roads are closed during March Madness?
According to Megan Lovely, the city of Wichita’s spokesperson, the city itself is planning to implement three road closures this week.
There are two roads closed for public safety reasons: Waterman from Emporia to Mosley, and Emporia from Waterman to the transit center.
St. Francis from William to Douglas will be closed to accommodate Fan Fest, the three-day event being held at Naftzger Park.
Any other street closures south of Intrust Bank Arena will be closed by event applicants, Lovely said.
On Friday, Lovely said the city did not have a timeframe for the street closures or reopenings.
You can keep up with the latest street closures by keeping an eye on the street closure map on Wichita’s website.
How much are game tickets for March Madness in Wichita?
Tickets are already on sale for the games, and can be purchased on SelectASeat.com. Tickets are listed starting at $67.50 for the first two sessions March 20 and $150 for the third session March 22. Each session has two games.
If you don’t want to spend the money on tickets, there are multiple fan event options.
This includes Fan Fest at Naftzger Park, which will feature a live DJ, food trucks and pep rallies. Other events include the ESPN Wichita Fan Zone party in front of Union Station, the Wichita Brewing Party Garden hosted by Wichita Brewing Company and Courtside at Brick & Mortar, just to name a few.
